Shimano
Airlines Shifter/Derailleur System
Shifter

Product Description

User Reviews

Overall Rating:

Value Rating:

Submitted by
Ken McGinn
a Downhiller
from Canada

Date Reviewed: March 21, 2007

Strengths: Shimano Airlines is a semi automatic shifting system which shifts as fast as you can push the levers. Precise shifts requiring hardly any mechanical force to shift. At the end of a long run when you are toast, you can go from flat out and shift all 7 gears very quickly without much effort. It shifts in the air much better then cables. Extremely bullet proof rear derailleur is much more durable then anything else. Shift levers are more adjustable then others allowing a custom fit, if properly adjusted you don't open your grip as much on the handlebar when shifting. Airlines never goes out of adjustment because of cable stretching.

Weaknesses: Cold temperatures and high altitude effect shifting performanc.If running bottle on the downtube do not for get to put the valve cap on because high speeds{50mph) pushes the valve stem in releasing all the air in the tank.

Bottom Line:

If you have to ask how much for this product dont apply. I have no regrets and they still work after 7 years of use. Shimano produced a limited production run of Airlines strictly for downhill racing and I was very fortunate to be involved in the R&D.

Strengths: uncredible!! it is the futur of bike! it shift when you want to shift and how you want to shift, in mud or water, never need oil on wire because you dont have wire you can shift 300 to 600 shift never need adjustement

Weaknesses: when its below 0°C it cant shift because of the air density so you can't use it winter , hard to find replacement part (if you'll need some)hard to fill the air tank completly (140 psi)you can fill it if you have an air compressor, in a garage the compressor dont full my tank (it dépend of the pressure on the compressor) And so in garage it could have water in the air compressor. You dont want water in your air tank

Bottom Line:

only 7 speed cant use front derailleuruncredible shifting powerexpensive but you pay for what you get

Weaknesses: ex-freakin-pensive, limits amount of gears u can run, heavy, only 600 some shifts till its out of air (but u shouldn't be shifting more than 600 times on a downhill run)

Bottom Line:

System works incredibly well, it has two shifter levers, one for each side of the handlebar, cuz u can't run a front derailleur, might be cool for a downhiller, but the product is expensive and heavy and limits the amount of gears u can run, nonetheless another great innovation from the peeps at shimano

Strengths: hella smooth, totally quick shifts. looks trick and you'll be the only cat to have 'em on the lift line

Weaknesses: heavier than my old set up, but i make up for it with the b*tch*n speed i gain on full on POWER shifts! gotta fill up the tank once in a while but you gotta' pay if ya' wanna' play.

Bottom Line:

i always ride the best so i had to pick these bad boyz up and im glad i did. im the only dude ive ever seen ridin' em and all my homiez always want to take it for a run down the mountain. this is for the man who wants the best and plays hard. ya only live once so do it right and buy em!

Similar Products Used: all xtr before, but now that this is the shizzy i just had to get it. i always ride the best.

Bike Setup: balfa bb7 HANDMADE in canada (where all the best riders are, meaning these guys know how to test the shizzy out of somethin before they sell it) race face cranks (more canadian thunder!) sun rimz, intense tires, lots of titec, king headset (what else, right?) and hayes 8"ers to slow this bad boy down.

Overall Rating:

Value Rating:

Submitted by
Scooter
a Downhiller
from Folsom Ca

Date Reviewed: June 14, 2002

Strengths: Shifts instantly, never need to adjust derailuer after installing,1000 times better than brand new XTR.Different shifter for up shift and down shift(a little akward at first)

Weaknesses: The two shifters (left and right side) were hard to get used to after switching from normal Shim. rapidfire, trying to get replacment parts will be a pain if I ever need them. Gear ratios suck, you can only use one cassette and it's a 11-26t, I run a 44t up front and with the 26t rear on a 60-65lb. bike is not fun to climb

Submitted by
John Birney
a Weekend Warrior
from Welland, Ontario, Canada

Date Reviewed: March 28, 2002

Strengths: Shifts fast, nice feel, very light

Weaknesses: you get about 400 Shifts, when it is 50 degrees or warmer outside, below 50 you might be able to squeeze about ten shifts before you have to stop and refill the tank. Pain to set up, always have to keep the tank full, for set up, alot harder then one might think. Oh yeah if u like 27 speeds well, if u get these u drop to 7, not designed for the front chain ring so i have it set on the middle ring

Bottom Line:

If you live in a warm climate I say buy them, there a plast to use, and very eye catching on the bike, Kinda makes a mountain bike look like it is on life support LOL. If you live in a cooler climate like me get use to pumping it up alot or limit yourself to one gear of 6 months out of the year, I find myself using them only for the summer